


Grayscale

by lxst



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Artist Jaebum, M/M, Poet Jinyoung, Social Media
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-10 09:28:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6977707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lxst/pseuds/lxst
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jinyoung is a poet, who sees the world in black and white, whereas Jaebum is an artist that wants to encapsulate each colour in his work.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Teaser

**Author's Note:**

> this is inspired by [cher](http://tuanpumpkins.tumblr.com/), the literal sun in human form <3


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay this is two am induced writing, and is without a beta. I also haven't written in seven years so please help me out with mistakes and such. ^^ Once again thank you to Cher for letting me write this <3

_Seoul Spring 2026_

   Park Jinyoung took a deep breath, turned his car off, and stepped outside. He had faced some tough mountains in his 35 years, but for some reason today’s meeting unnerves him. Jinyoung is dressed sharply, with a silver watch adorning his wrist. He has sharp features with mellow chocolate orbs. Park Jinyoung is handsome. The years have eased into his face making his once boyish features look more mature.

   Jinyoung smoothed his black suit jacket, looking for any wrinkles and walked toward the Black Brick Café. Jinyoung quickened he steps unbuttoned the top button of dress shirt. He felt an unusual warmth creep up to him. He gulped and stepped inside the café. He orders a black coffee and sits down at a table but the window. He understands he is early, but he needs to be prepared. He is startled by a sound and he looks up. His breath seems to have caught in his throat and he smiles warmly. 

“You came…”, Jinyoung begins.

There is a man dressed black trousers and a white t-shirt. His skin is glowing as if its radiating warmth. The man proceeds to sit down and and grasps the hand of the other. He looks into his eyes.

“You called,” the man with the white shirt answers, and releases Jinyoung’s hand.

It seems as if the years have created a gap between them. They keep staring in silence. There is something unspoken between the two. They look at each other with an strange sense of familiarity.

“Jaebum-ah…tell me how have you been”, Jinyoung smiles sincerely.

Jaebum chuckles, “Well...tired but well Jinyoung.”

They both delve into small talk, asking each other about the years they’ve missed. There’s lots to be said.

“Jinyoungie” Jaebum uses Jinyoung’s nickname.

“Remember how we met.”

_Seoul, Fall 2013_

   They say the world is meant to be seen in colour. One must experience the hues of blue to understand the depth of the ocean. One needs to differentiate between the shades of blue so they can understand that the horizon line does not dip directly into the ocean but creates an un-seeming illusion of infinity. You must understand that there is difference between lavender and amethyst. You need to understand that this world encompasses so many vibrant colour and it’s important to know each of them in order to truly live. At least that is Im Jaebum’s philosophy. At 20 years years old, he is in his second year at the prestigious visual arts program at Seoul University and he is full of dreams. Dreams that are vibrant in colour. All Jaebum wants to do is help people find the meaning between the different hues. 

   Second year is filled more challenging classes and Jaebum now needs to add electives from science courses in order to complete his degree so he takes an introductory course titled “Sustainability in the 21st century”. If he needs to suffer with science, he might as well take an interesting course. Jaebum is focused on the lecture when he hears the door open. All heads in the classroom turn toward the door and standing there is the most beautiful sight he’s ever laid his eyes on. Standing in the front is a bit with messy black hair, creamy porcelain skin and an embarrassed expression. The boy hastily apologizes and starts to head toward Jaebum. Jaebum tenses up for a few seconds until he realizes that there is an empty seat beside him. The stranger mouths a hello to him and sits down and starts to take notes. Jaebum tries to redirect his attention toward the lecture but all he can think about is the light blush on the stranger’s face and he realizes that it is the first time he’s seen this particular shade of red. 

   When the lecture ends, Jaebum gets up right away — he cannot be flustered around this stranger any longer. However, Jaebum stop when someone taps his shoulder. He turns around and sees the handsome stranger looking at him with wide eyes. Jaebum feels as if might melt into those chocolate coloured eyes. “Hi, I’m sorry to bother you but I missed the first portion of the lecture, would you mind sending it to me?” the stranger asks. Jaebums snaps out his reverie and speaks “ Of course, just give me your e-mail, I’ll send it to you.” The stranger smiles brightly, “Thank you so much.” The stranger begins writing on a piece of paper and turns to Jaebum, “I really appreciate it, I’m Jinyoung by the way.” Jaebum takes the paper and smiles back. “I’m Jaebum.” The boys part ways but Jinyoung’s smile is still etched in Jaebum’s mind. That night Jaebum tries to capture a boy with crimson stained cheeks and chocolate doe eyes with his paint brush.

 

_Seoul, Spring 2026_

“Yeah, and what happened after that Jaebum,” Jinyoung laughs, “You were so cowardly”

“It’s because you were not good for my grades” 

Jinyoung cocks his head slightly, and scoffs.

 

_Seoul, Fall 2013_

   Jaebum changes his seat to the back, if he needs a decent grade in this class, he needs to be as far away as possible from Jinyoung. It isn't until midway into the semester that two boys cross paths again. Jaebum has had a tough week and cannot seem to think of a concept for his next painting. Jaebum decides he needs a change of scenery and decides to go to small coffee shop about three blocks away from campus.

   Jaebum enters the Black Brick Café. He likes working there because its a minimalistic space with pop art adorning the walls. It’s a concept Jaebum is fond of. However, as luck would have it, the café seems to be a student favourite because he sees Park Jinyoung wave to him. Jaebum waves shyly and proceeds to walk toward Jinyoung. 

Jinyoung smiless brightly ansd removes his stuff from the chair opposite to him, making room for Jaebum. 

Jaebum takes a sits down and thanks Jinyoung.

“It’s so nice to see you Jaebum, I feared you dropped the course”.

Jaebum smiles “Oh no I just sit at the back now. The lecture can get boring sometimes”.

Jinyoung nods his head, “So do you come here often?”

“Sometimes when I need inspiration for work,” Jaebum answers.

“Aha same here, what are you majoring in?”

“Art and Design”

“Ah an artist’s struggle I can understand, I’m a Writing major”

  Jinyoung and Jaebum end up talking to each other for the whole afternoon. When they parted ways, Jaebum understood what was missing from his painting. He needed a muse that made his eyes twinkle with happiness and he had found that in Park Jinyoung. That night Jaebum painted hurriedly hoping not to rid of the intoxicating happiness Park Jinyoung had instilled in him. In every brush stroke, Jaebum could sense brightness. 

 

_Spring 2026_

Jinyoung looks at Jaebum with mellow eyes and asks “ Remember when we got together?”

_Seoul, Spring 2014_

   Jinyoung was livid. He had a workshop to get to, but he had underestimated the weather. He had decided it would be okay if walked to the lecture room but he did not realize that it would start raining so heavily. He ran to the closest building for shelter and decided to wait for a few minutes. What he had not expected was to see Jaebum standing quietly in the rain. 

“Was something wrong with him?” Jinyoung wondered.

He ran up to Jaebum and shook him, “ Are you okay?”.

Jaebum smiled slightly “I’m just enjoying the rain, its so beautiful this time around isn’t it”.

Jinyoung looked baffled “You artists are honestly dangerous,” he huffed.

Jaebum laughed heartily and somehow he convinced Jaebum to look to into the building. Jaebum ruffled his hair to shake off the water and Jinyoung had been completely entranced by him. 

Jinyoung looked at him increlodously and thought to himself “I can’t believe Ilike him,”

   Jaebum’s eyes had widened with Jinyoungs untimed confession. The boy looked shocked, he had accidentally said his feelings out loud. Jaebum smiled with adoration, and set a hand on Jinyoung’s cheek, he motioned forward and caught the writer in a kiss. Jinyoung settled into the kiss and kissed Jaebum back with delight. He started off slow but quickened his pace. After finally catching breath, Jinyoung looked flushed and stated once more “I was right, you artists are incredibly dangerous.” 

Jaebum smirked and grasped Jinyoung in for another kiss, and Jinyoung thought to himself, that maybe missing a workshop on “How to write romance” wouldn’t be so bad. He was getting field experience right here. Jinyoung smiled into the kiss deepening it, there was something about Jaebum that made him want to write poetry.

_Seoul, Spring 2026_

Both men looked profusely flushed. 

Jaebum got up, “Jinyoung-ah, want to go for a walk?”

 

_Seoul, Summer 2014_

   Jinyoung and Jaebum were enjoying summer. It had been a heavy year, filled with testing and deadlines and the boys were glad to finally be spending time together. It was warm a Sunday and they had decided to spend time together resting inside. Jinyoung was lying on the couch his head in Jaebum’s lap. It was times like these that they were both grateful for. Nothing made them happier then each other’s presence. Jaebum looked around Jinyoung’s apartment and marvelled at the lack of colour. 

He looked at Jinyoung ant asked, “Jinyoungie, do you not believe in colour ?”

Jinyoung opened his eyes, “Jaebum-ah, I mean I do but I just enjoy black and white more,” 

Jinyoung got up to straighten his shirt and clasps Jaebum’s hands. “Everything is much simpler with black and white, there’s no hassle in understanding.” 

   Jaebum makes a point to look offended and grabs a red marker, “We’ll see about that.” he states and starts to draw a red rose on Jinyoung’s wrist. Jinyoung stares at Jaebum drawing on his skin. There seems to be something intimate about an artists leaving his imprint on someones skin, and Jinyoung wants to capture this image forever. 

Jaebum’s drawing begins a tradition between the boys. Every time Jaebum paints on Jinyoung’s arm, Jinyoung leaves a couplet on Jaebum’s arm.

   Summer soon slips into fall and the boys are greeted by hefty routine once again. They hardly get time to see each other, but both still have the spark from last spring. In each of their work, there’s part of each other. 

   Fall abruptly turns to winter, and they hardly have time to embrace in each other’s warmth. For his third year culminating, Jaebum submits a pop art piece of Jinyoung. The prompt for the piece had been “Curious gaze,” and the first thing Jaebum had thought of was the way Jinyoung looked at everything with curiosity and wonder. His choice of medium had been comic book-esque to capture Jinyoung’s grand personality. 

   Jinyoung had ended up adoring the piece marvelling at Jaebum’s attention to intricate detail. Jaebum wondered if Jinyoung’s realized why he chose the colours that he did. He had used variations of yellow to represent the warmth that radiated off Jinyoung. Jaebum was not ready to confess yet but he hoped Jinyoung would realize that there was a confession laced in every stroke that he painted. 

   Sometimes Jaebum wondered if they were meant for each other. They were polar opposites he concluded. Jinyoung was a dog person, whereas Jaebum liked cats. Jinyoung wrote whereas Jaebum drew. Jinyoung had no problems sharing his feelings whereas Jaebum shied away from expressing things bluntly. Jaebum stared at Jinyoung's warm expression and decided that they fit like a puzzle. Nothing could tear them apart.

_Seoul Spring 2026_

   The boys were now at a nearby park, situated close to their university. They sat on the bench watching the day go by. The silence between them carried an unresolved tension. Jinyoung shifted nervously and looked at Jaebum with apologetic eyes. “Jaebum-ah, if I could go back and change how it ended I promise I would. I’m so sorry I realized now. I couldn't understand back then, but god. I understand now. I am so sorry Jaebummie.” 

   There are tears forming in Jinyoung’s eyes and Jaebum takes Jinyoung’s hand and grasps it. “It’s okay,” he says tears having formed in his eyelids as well. 

" We were young. We couldn’t understand each other’s language.” 

_Seoul, Spring 2015_

   For some reason Jinyoung has been feeling insecure around Jaebum lately. His boyfriend has been distant and Jinyoung does not know what to make of it. The other thing that puzzles Jinyoung is that Jaebum has not yet once confirmed his feelings. Jaebum has a tendency to speak in riddles and Jinyoung cannot understand. Countless times Jinyoung has written “I love you” on Jaebum’s arm and all he’s ever met with is a “hmm” and rose on his left ring finger from Jaebum. 

   The last straw for Jinyoung is when he sees Jaebum at a coffee shop hugging a blonde haired boy. Perhaps it was the stress of his graduation portfolio but that night Jinyoung goes to Jaebum’s apartment and knocks heavily to confront him. 

“Jinyoung we were supposed to meet later at the restaurant for the anniversary,” Jaebum begins

Jinyoung interrupts him and starts “Do you not love me Jaebum-ah. Is there something I’ve done?”

Jaebum tries to console Jinyoung holding on to his shoulders, “Jinyoung what’s wrong, where’s this coming from?”

“No!” Jinyouung raises his voice. “You’ve been so distant Always telling me that you have things to do. Ifyou like someone else or are bored of me you can tell Jaebum-ah. I never hide anything from you. Jaebum you know what , let’s cancel the dinner. I saw you with someone else Jaebum-ah”

“Jinyoung, be rational. You’re misunderstanding.”

“Jaebum don’t give me that bullshit.”

“He’s just a friend Jinyoung.”

“I just…I can’t do this anymore, Jaebum-ah”

“I didn’t take you to be suspicious Jinyoung, if that’s how you feel maybe we should take a break from each other.”

Jinyoung’s eyes had filled with anger, and he stormed out. 

The silver band that Jaebum had been clutching fell on the floor as Jinyoung slammed the door.

That night Jaebum learned of a new shade of blue. He learned of the melancholic blue that Van Gogh explored.  The unfortunate thing was that the following morning Jaebum would be leaving for the States and in his fury Jinyoung had forgotten.

   Even after leaving, Jinyoung did not realize that Jaebum was still a part of his poetry. His gradutation portfolio had included an original poem which no matter how hard Jinyoung denied was about Im Jaebum.

_The feeling autumn left_

_The chilly wind that hints winter is coming soon_

_I can still feel your warmth_

_So I know fall and winter would be painful_

 

_The one I loved without a reason_

_Is disappearing_

_Remembering our memories_

_I’ll cherish them_

 

_The river reflects off so many stars_

_Among one of them_

_Is a pretty little star_

_This star can get a little close_

_But once it drifts, it’s gone forever_

 

_Seoul, Spring 2026_

 

“Jaebum, it wasn't until you were gone that I realized. . it’s just, I needed to let you know.”

 

“Maybe the timing wasn’t right Jinyoungie”

 

_Seoul, Spring 2017_

 

   Jinyoung had started missing the pen marks on his arms, and lazy Sundays writing confessions on Jaebum. He could not believe that someone who treated him so poorly still had a piece of his heart

   It isn’t until later that year that Jinyoung come across a letter that changes everything. It was addressed to Jaebum but had come into his mailbox. He assumes since Jaebum has left, it may have bounced to his apartment. The letter is seems to be from company called Ahgase Jewellers and reads 

 

“Dear Mr. Im, 

 

We would like to thank you for trusting us with your engagement ring. In this package, we have enclosed possible wedding band designs to accompany the engagement design”

 

The letter includes a picture of said engagement ring, which is a simple silver band engraved with a rose outside, the same Jaebum drew on his finger. The inner portion has an engraving as well. It was the confession Jinyoung had been searching for “I love you”.

 

Choking up Jinyoung realizes that Jaebum had confessed long ago and that it was his haste that brought him here. 

 

It was futile to contact Jaebum now, he had found out that Jaebum was already seeing someone else. He did not want to come in between them. 

 

_Seoul, Spring 2026_

 

Jinyoung shifts uncomfortably, “How’s Yugyeom Jaebum-ah. Is he well?”

 

Jaebum smiles, “He’s exactly like his father Jinyoung. He has his bright eyes. He’s not like me at all. I’m going to go visit his father in a bit”

 

Jinyoung hesitates “Would… it be okay for me to visit him Jaebum-ah”

 

Jaebum smiles sadly and nods. Jaebum and Jinyoung sit in the car and drive in silence. The men enter the cemetery and Jinyoung rests flowers on Jackson’s grave.

 

“Jackson-ah, thank you for taking care of Jaebum for so long. I’m glad he had you to love him”

 

There is an unspoken gratitude from Jaebum to Jinyoung. Jaebum grasps Jinyong’s hand firmly. The air is filled melancholy and both men drive back to the cafe in silence. 

 

_Four weeks later_

 

Jinyoung is resting at Jaebum’s apartment when Yugeyom runs up to him.

 

“Uncle Jinyoung. I have something to show you,” the boy excitedly exclaims. He begins to write on Jinyoung’s arm”

 

Jaebum laughs heartily, “I don’t know where he learned writing from…” 

 

“Yugyeomie, go to bed it's time to sleep," Jaebum instructs. 

 

After tucking Yugyeom in, Jaebum returns to Jinyoung and takes a seat by him.

 

Jinyoung smiles and realizes that he’d want nothing more than to be with Jaebum again. He wishes there was a way he could ask Jaebum to be with him again.

 

Jaebum grabs Jiyound’s hand and begin’s to draw a rose on Jinyoung’s finger. It's the only confession Jinyoung needs because he is ecstatic and pulls Jaebum in for a kiss, 

 

“I … love … you… too,” he mutters between breaths.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem used was an english translation of "Star" by Got7 suggested by cher!! ty bub!! As always you can talk to me on my [tumblr](http://min-fructose.tumblr.com/) c:


End file.
